Hong Kong’s Central district will witness a morning rush hour with a difference when more than 350 runners take part in the second annual Victoria to Peak (VTP) Challenge on 1 October.

On the paths and steps where many of them would normally walk to work, the enthusiasts will swap their pinstripes for running gear as they compete in one of the most spectacular and scenic 10K races to be found anywhere in the world.

Starting from Pier 9 next to the Star Ferry, the field will follow a carefully plotted route between the skyscrapers and malls of Central up to Mid-Levels and on to the finish at the Peak, passing some of Hong Kong’s most iconic buildings and famous landmarks along the way.

With an elevation gain of almost 400 metres, the VTP Challenge presents a stern test to runners of all ages and abilities. Volunteers will act as race marshals to enhance road safety and ensure athletes stay on the correct route. 

“It is a recreational athlete’s dream to be able to run through the heart of the city in this manner,” said Freeman Lee of Club Balance (www.clubbalance.org), the group organising the event.

“The VTP Challenge allows them to do this in a safe and controlled environment where concerns about other pedestrians and traffic are minimised and they can just concentrate on enjoying the run.

“While it is a testing course, the accent is very much on fun, enjoyment and community spirit, and in some cases we will have entire families taking part. The race is open to athletes of all levels and it is perfectly OK to walk on some of the steepest parts.”

The event will begin at 7:30am on 1 October – the Chinese National Day public holiday – with elite runners expected to finish in just under an hour. There will be a two-hour cut-off.

The community spirit will continue after the race with all runners and volunteers receiving a complimentary breakfast at Café Deco in the Peak Galleria.

Part of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the Hong Kong Arthritis & Rheumatism Foundation (www.hkarf.org).

The overall winner in each of the race’s three main categories – Male, Female and Family – will receive a two-night hotel package courtesy of Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Other category winners will receive prizes from Plantronics and Champion System.

Sponsorship of Club Balance as well as the VTP 2010 prizes has been made possible by the kind support of: RBS Coutts Bank, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Plantronics, Latham & Watkins, Edwin Yeung & Company (CPA) Limited, Champion System, Bonaqua and Optimum Nutrition.

About Club Balance

Club Balance is a non-profit, volunteer-based organisation founded in 2009 by a group of professionals who are also sports enthusiasts. Our members come from a wide range of professions, from dentistry to banking and law. The founders’ informal weekly runs, which started as early as 1995, eventually evolved into a broader effort to promote work-life balance within the professional communities in Hong Kong.

Club Balance events provide a platform for participants to engage their family and friends through fun activities and/or meals. Participants are also encouraged to invite their loved ones to help out and provide moral support at Club Balance events they participate in.

The Victoria to Peak Challenge

Open to only 350 runners (a family team counts as one), the race starts at 7:30am from Victoria Harbour’s Pier 9 (next to the Star Ferry) on 1 October and ends at the Peak Galleria. While parents in the Family Category start from Pier 9, children in the Family Category wait on Barker Road and start running with their parents when they arrive.

The entry fee is just HK$280 per person and HK$450 per family. It entitles each entrant to a runner’s post-race breakfast at Café Deco, commemorative T-shirt, drinks en-route and helps cover some nominal race costs.

The Hong Kong Arthritis & Rheumatism Foundation

The effects of arthritis go beyond just aching hands and trouble opening a jar. Some forms of arthritis can pose serious health risks, not to mention the effect of arthritis on family members. In support of its aim of promoting work-life balance and better health amongst Hong Kong’s professionals, Club Balance is proud to support the efforts of the foundation to improve the understanding of arthritis and rheumatic conditions commonly seen in Hong Kong, and to improve the health-related quality of life of people with these disorders.

-- ENDS --

Released on behalf of the Victoria to Peak Challenge by Two Up Front – Asia’s sports PR specialists.